S. Korea: North Korea Fires 8 Ballistic Missiles

North Korea responded to joint US and South Korea naval exercises with a series of ballistic missile launches.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Pyongyang launched 8 short-range ballistic missiles from at least four different locations toward international waters on the high seas in the east within 35 minutes on Sunday morning.

UN resolutions ban Pyongyang from testing ballistic missiles, which can carry nuclear warheads.

According to reports, the missiles flew between 110 and 670 km before falling into the Sea of Japan, also known to Koreans as the East Sea. The flight altitude of the missiles ranged from 25 to 90 km.

The short-range ballistic missile has a range of about 1,000 km.

South Korea's "Yonhap" news agency quoted a military representative as saying that this is the largest number of ballistic missiles North Korea has fired in one day. These missiles are usually surface-to-surface.

The latest round of missile tests by Pyongyang was also seen as a show of strength in South Korea.

North Korea has conducted several missile tests since the start of this year, including an ICBM on May 25.

Sunday's launch is the 18th test this year. It comes one day after the US and South Korean navies concluded a 3-day maneuver in the Philippine Sea, in which the US aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan participated.

North Korea regards such joint military exercises as an aggressive provocation. On the other hand, Washington and Seoul view Pyongyang's missile and nuclear weapons program as a threat.